Toyota signs new agreement to increase hydrogen technology development
Firm plans to boost hydrogen projects in ‘several European countries’.
Toyota has signed a new memorandum of understanding with Air Liquide and CaetanoBus to help develop hydrogen systems in Europe.
Air Liquide – a France-based industrial gases and technology firm – and Portuguese bus and chassis manufacturer CaetanoBus will work with Toyota to ‘accelerate the expansion of hydrogen mobility for both light and heavy-duty vehicles’.
The trio will combine their efforts to ‘address the entire value chain of hydrogen mobility’, ranging from the renewable or low-carbon production of hydrogen right the way through to refuelling infrastructure. Their focus will initially be placed on buses, light commercial vehicles and cars, though hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks are said to be part of development plans later on too.
Matthieu Giard, Vice President, member of the Executive Committee of Air Liquide, notably supervising Hydrogen activities said: “As a key solution to reduce CO2 emissions of the mobility sector, low-carbon hydrogen is a crucial enabler of the energy transition. Air Liquide is pleased to partner with Toyota and CaetanoBus.”
Toyota is one of two manufacturers that offers a hydrogen-powered vehicle in the UK, with its Mirai. The other is Hyundai’s Nexo, with both vehicles using stored hydrogen to generate electrical energy through a fuel cell. Currently, there are 14 hydrogen filling stations open to the public in the UK.
Matt Harrison, President and CEO at Toyota Motor Europe, comments: “We are excited by the opportunity to combine our strengths to expand the development of hydrogen clusters. Toyota’s role is to bring the hydrogen applications into the ecosystem and, by working together with our partners, we want to accelerate and intensify the use of hydrogen as a carbon neutral solution for mobility.”
Patrícia Vasconcelos, CEO of CaetanoBus, added: “It is a great pleasure to work on hydrogen projects with these partners and have the chance to reinforce the role of new forms of energy in the pursuit of a sustainable way of living.”
